Bailroad-cbossing signal



R. L. HARRIS AND G. B. SMITH.

RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED ocr.29. 1917.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

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R. L. HARRIS AND G. B. SMITH.

RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.29. 1917.

1,3 1 1 ,970. Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

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UNITE STATES ATE T OFFICE- 55 0mm. HAnnIs nn VGIQENN B. SMITH, or JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

and GLENN B. SMITH, citizens of the United- States, residing 'at Jacksonville,-5 in the county of Duval and 'State of -Florida,

have invented new anduseful- Improvements in Railroad-Crossing1 following is a speci cation. r

This invention relates to signal devices especially adapted for use in connection with railroad-crossings. 1

- Insignal devices asheretofore constructed for thea 'bove purpose, it has been-the aim towarn of the approach of a train by means of a device usually aut matically op erated by said train. l The present invention in addition, aims to provide means for automatically operating the signal by a vehicle approaching the track, so that the'oc'cupantsthereof will be warned of the presence of the railroad in time. to take the proper precautions for safetyb The inventionalso consists of the following novel construction 3 and arrangement of parts, hereinafter: more fully described and 'llustrated'in the accompanying drawings,

wherein l I Figure 1 is a transverse sectional View taken through "the vehicle operated member and its housing; 9 t .Fig. 2' is a fragmentary sectional view onthe line '2-2 of Fig, 1; W a

Fig; 3 is a vertical sectional view through the alarm mechanism;

, Fig. 4- is an enlarged sectional View -on the line-+745 ofFig, 3; 1 f

Fig. "5 *is' view similar to Fig. 1, but

illustrating f a tion; and

or housing which is designed to extend.-

transversely across the roadway and be positionedat a suitable" distance from the railroad track, This casing or housing inchides a botton1""10,'sides 11 and top 12, the" latter being arranged substantially flush with the surface of the roadway. The top I Specification of Letters Patent,

Signals, of which the modified form of the inven vehicle.

is formed with longitudinally arranged slot 13, which extends substantially throughout the length of the. housinggthe sides ofthis slot being reinforced by means of angle plates v let to prevent wearo Theslot 13 is positioned along one edge of the top of the housing and operating in this slot is a vertically movable member 15. This member is of an inverted U shape in cross-section and has secured therein spacing elements 16, the lower ends of which are provided with depending lugs 17. These lugs are adapted to. engage openings 18 formed in laterally extending arms 19 car-. ried by a rockshaft'QO. An annular flange 21 isformed on the lug 17, one face of which is adapted to engage the arm 19 to depressthe same, when the vertically movable member is depressed. This engaging face is rounded as shown at 22 and is adapted to operate in a seat 23 surrounding the opening18. In order to prevent the withdrawal of the lug 17 from the opening 18, there is employed a cotter pin 24 upon the lowerv side of'the arm 19. 1 l

v Patented Au 5, 1919 Application'filed October 29, 1917.- Serial No. 198,948. r a

I The rock shaftQO extends throughout the length of the housing and is adapted to op-.

erate in bearings located therein, thesebearings consistingofthe section 25 and Sec-- tion 26, both of which are boltedtogether' and to the housing by means of lag bolts 27. 'One end of therqck shaft 20 enters the signal casing- 28 and has secured thereon an arm 29, which is adapted to move in unison with the arm 19.

Pivotally secured to the outer end of the arm 29 is a vertically disposed rod 30, which is guided in-the bracket 31: secured to the side'of the casing 28. -The upper end of the rod30 is provided with a notch 32,:

which is adaptedto engage a lever 33, pivoted intermediate its end as shown at 3 1. Tlielever 33 is formed with a beveled end 35 for engagement with the notch 32 in the rod 30, the lever 33 being held in a posi tion to retain the rod 30 elevated bymeans of a spring 36 secured to the end opposite the'beveled end 35 The spring 37 ,one end of which issecured to the casing and the opposite end to the arm 29,*serves to hold the rock shaft 20 in position to normally maintain the vertically movable member disposed above the surface of the roadway in positibntob acted upon by a crossing The rod 30 is provided with a longitudinally curved portion 38, located immediately below notch adapted to form a cam for engagement with the guiding brackets 31, so that when the shaft is rocked to pull downwardthe 'rod30 the same will be disengaged froin'the lever-'33 as shown by dotted linesin Fig. 3. ,A Stop 39 located in thepathof movement of one end of the lever 33 serves to limit the move ment of this lever in one direction.

Secured to the'le'ver 33 adjacent the pivot 34c is a flexible rodfl); the outerend ofwhich.

carries a clapper ll f'orcontact with a gong 7 42,50 that When thelever 33 is released from its engagement With the rod'30the spring 36 will cause the clapper 41 to strike the gong 4:2 and due to the flexibility of the rod 40 the vibrations of this rod will be continued for an appreciable length of: time and continue to sound the gong. a The spring 43 having one'end secured to the rod and its opposite end {to the casing 28' serves topull the said .rod into a position to cause the curved portion or cam 38 to bear against the bracket31whenthe guide is operated. a

In order to provide forthe-operation of the signal by an approaching train there' are provided magnets a l-positioned Within the casing 28, the said magnets being adapted to operate a pivoted armature 45,:which has connected-thereto an extension 46, the lower end of this extension resting upon the upper edge of the lever 33 while a Step4?- is located in the path of movement of the said extension to properly-position the armature With. respect to: the :core of the magnets. v

When there is'a the movement of the leveirg33 upon its pivot. When the magnet is deenergized by a train entering the bounded section of the track, the armature 45 will drop by its own Weight-v to the position shown in dotted lines in :Fig:

4:,Qperm'itting the springl3-6 toopera-te the lever .33-itosound theialarmgp; 1 V .When; the armaturefle is again raised by the actioniof the magnets 44, the notched. end of the lever 30 willbe engagedw-ith the: pointed end. 3570f the. lever 33 through the 7 action of the spring 4 3, which draws the rod 30 over for thispurpose. This action of the armature will also cause the extension 46 to engage the lever 33 and the belocked againstoperation. 7 In the modified formof the-invention as shown in Fig-a5 and 6, the vertically movsignal will able member consists of a bar 48, which is. inverted U shape 1n* cross-section and is adapted tooperate withina slot 49'formed by a casing 550 located flush with the roadtrainlin theboundedsec-i tionof the rails, the magnetism of the coil H 44: will holdithe armature up and prevent Way. The bar 48 is held in a raised position y me sof a w shbon sp i g 51, the pper movement of the bar being limited by the engaging member 52 located at the end ojf the housing 50 and provided With an angular extension 53 located in the pathof;

movementef the bar 48. The'downward movement ofsthelbar 48 is limited by the stops 54.

One end 55 of the bar 48 is adapted to ex-v tend with-in the casing 28 and to have pivpermits ,free movementqof the member 15 overcoming any tendency to bind; which 'oted theretoas shown at '56 one end. of the; rod 30,- theconstruction and operationof the 7 75 scribed in the; previous "form of the invenk may result in the failure ofthe signal tfoopr erate. The yeasin-g; .10-is strengthened throughout its length by .meansiofl transversely arranged, spaced supports 61, which also; provide, additional; bearings for ,i-the shaft 20.

It is believed ;;that romtthe foregoing dei scription when taken in connection with the operation and advantagesbtthe. invention will be apparent. g; 'Iheri-ghtjis reserved to;

such changesin theifQimand-proportion thereof as will fall within the .seopeof the, claims hereto, appended.

claimed is:

'1. 2A: signaldevice embodying vertically movable member. arranged. transverselyacro'ss -a ro:tdW-ay and ,aola ted; to gtbedepressed by a vehicle, a sigma and means inl ing a spring actuated lever released by said member for operztting'gthe signal, a

22- A Signal device embodying ayvertical ly movable member mounted tr:ans-varsely1 across a roadway and adapted 'to;bede'-;-

pressed by, a; vehicle, a rock shaft bperated by said member, a rod mounted for recipro- Having described the invention, what is cation .and operatedbythe rock shaft,{a"

springiactuated; pivoted clever having one enddetach ably engaging anotch in said rodand operated by the'latte'r against the te-n,- spring and asignal operated by sion of the said; lever,

In testimony whereof: ail'm four. .signa-.

tunes. 1 a" ROBT..,L. HARRIS;

W terman:

i n. a.

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